My Life in 100 Words

I have always, always aspired to be in Reader's Digest.  I'd love to have even a letter to the editor published, let alone one of my anecdotes I so often submitted to them as a middle and high school writer.  I gave up on it for a while but recently I came upon a contest that was just too good to pass up. 

Reader's Digest - 100-Word True Story Contest
Write a story about your life in 100 words or less and you could win $5,000 and publication or other prizes in Reader's Digest's 100-Word True Story Contest. 
Entry Frequency: Unlimited entry per person 
End Date: March 14, 2014 at 11:59 p.m. ET 
Eligibility: USA, 18+

Here is what I submitted:

Crouched low and breathing hard, he peered around the corner just in time to detect the shadow that leapt toward him.  He wielded his sais expertly to deflect the onslaught.  He tucked and rolled.  As he rose he felt a searing pain pierce his abdomen.  He clutched his stomach and ran, shaking off armor and weaponry.  It was too late.  A pool was forming at his feet.  He called desperately, “Help! Mom, I so sad... I peed my Ninja pants.”  Hot tears burned his three year old eyes.  I found him struggling out of his soiled clothes, humiliated by defeat.

My Favorite Ninja

In praise of a face and two hands by J.R. Dietrich

My problem with the digital clock is it’s existential nature.  It sees itself fixed in each moment without regard to that moment that lives ahead or behind.  On the good old dial style analog clock one can see at any moment relationships between the marks upon the face.  Half past, quarter til, high noon, five after.  These establish us in relation to other moments.  We are not isolated but in community. And best of all we can anticipate.  

We understand our time, our moments and hours by the company our hands keep.  The glowing readout on the digital clock stands alone and worst of all when the power goes out he flashes off an on at noon or midnight… caught between the day and night in a pulsating panic, crying out to be renumbered, unable to move on.   

The Man who Collects Hugs n' Bugs

Part Three .....

The pause after my confession of love knocked the wind out of me.  I grabbed onto the crazy quilt on my bed steadying myself for whatever may come.  I caught a glimpse of myself making ridiculous, “You are killing me!” faces in the mirror.  

“ Well..... That’s good because I like you too.”  I could hear him smile.  I mean not literally but he has this amazing voice that can pull emotions up onto your face.  

I think it was my eye for high fashion that won him over:)

Those words were like a shot of caffeine straight to my bloodstream.  I fell back into my pillow miming a scream of delight and disbelief to an imaginary audience. I wanted to hear more, more about how he felt, about us, about why he went on a date with another girl.  But I let it go.  It was 3 am after all and I was supposed to wake up in 2 hours to run the camp, well co-lead it, thank God.  I just smiled right back into the phone.  

“Well, that is good.” I replied  

The goodbye exchange after that was awkward no denying it.  Neither of us was really ready to sign off with “I love you” yet.  Okay I probably was, but it would have been a tad premature. So we stammered one million, “okay talk to you soon”s, “have a good night”, “yah, call me tomorrow”, “okay great”, “yup,”  ..and so on until hanging up was inevitable.  

And for the rest of the summer we returned to our respective summertime activities... I, to making lists in my parent's basement (see above.) And he to collecting Hugs N' Bugs on the houseboat (see below).  We talked every night until we fell asleep.  Little did I know, the best  was yet to come.  

The man, the myth, the legend 

Why Malden? By Dan Ko

Today's GuestS Dan and Caroline Ko moved to Boston in 2008 with a dream of giving their lives to see a church planted in a diverse city. They quickly found a gospel-centered community at Seven Mile Road and found themselves giving everything to its vision to see Bostonians coming to believe the Gospel, be discipled, and live on mission through an ever-growing network of healthy Seven Mile Roads all over Boston for Jesus' glory and our joy. Over the next five years, a lot happened. Dan changed jobs a bunch, we bought a house in Malden, Caroline quit her job to become a full-time mother, and we welcomed two kids in to our family. But that wasn't it. In February 2013, there was a clear opportunity to plant a church in Malden to reach the diverse population that's been emerging. It was then, Dan and Caroline knew there was a clear call on their lives to plant a church in that city. So, the pastors of Seven Mile Road and her people, commissioned Dan and Caroline to plant a church set to launch in the Spring of 2014.

WHY MALDEN?

Good question. Why would anyone plant a church in Malden, Massachusetts? Of all the cities in these United State of 'Merica - no scratch that - out of all the cities on all 7 continents, why this little city on the north side of Boston that's "home" to 60,000 of the 7 billion people (0.00009%) on this planet earth? Why would anyone plant a church in Malden? There are definitely sexier, cooler, trendier, more populous, more prestigious, more awe-inspiring cities one could plant a church in, so why Malden? The answer is really simple actually. We're planting a church in Malden, because God loves Malden. 

Yea, you might've skimmed past that last line, but it's the most important line of this whole thing: God loves Malden and her people. He does. I know...well, because the Bible told me so. One of Jesus' disciples John wrote, "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16). It's cliché, but only because it's true and that should hit you hard - real hard. God loves this world, which includes the city of Malden, Mass. 

And because God loves Malden, He longs for her people to know His son, Jesus, through whom we can know God. And to know Jesus, people have to hear about Him. And for people to hear about Him, there need to be people that talk about Him. And where there are a people that talk about him, you've got a church. And that's exactly what we want to be. A church that makes Jesus known in Malden!

We want to be a community that loves this city and her people, not because we think we can make it a better place to live or because we think we can change people on our own terms, but simply because God loves this city. And because God loves it, we love it. If the motivation to plant this church is because we think we can make this a better place to live, we are no better than a civic non-profit. If our motivation is to change people on our own terms, then we are no better than a rehab program. If our motivation is to run a profitable venture then we are no better than a corner store. But we are none of those things, because God calls us to be the church - those devoted to the knowing Jesus and making Jesus known. And for us, that's happening in Malden, MA. 

Whether you're in Malden or Madagascar, wherever you are right now, consider how you could love your neighbors knowing God loves them, too. Let's make Jesus known. 

Check out more from Dan and Caroline at http://www.surpassingworth.com

Hard Times

I wrote this a while back when I was feeling down.  This morning when I woke up with a sore throat and a throbbing headache I thought it'd be an appropriate post for the day...

"All I can smell are diapers.  And it makes me want to cry but I don’t.  It is 5:30am and I am alone, for once.  There is quiet and peace.  Well, there should be peace but my heart is in such turmoil it burns my ears.  Every beep of the microwave, every truck passing by grates on my nerve.  And my heart swells with sobs that just can’t seem to make it to my eyes and I am lost.  The weight is so heavy on my heart, holding down my tears, trapping my breath.  

And I’m not sure what the issue is, if it’s the money I feel like I need or the life I live.  Is it my failures or the way others keep seeming to fail me?  There is an ache and an exhaustion to this burden.  

“Oh Lord, be my help,”  My son spoke these words over breakfast yesterday and shocked me into silence.  “It’s my memory verse,” he informed me. 

“Oh Lord, be my help” because I cannot seem to help anyone else, least of all myself, and yet my days are consumed with trying, with trying to be some use to those in need yet feeling so needy I can barely contain it.  I feel alone.  

And what do I do about the dreams?

About the test I keep on failing and don’t have money to gamble on a pass?

About the dream job that opens up and then snaps shut right in my face?

About the disappointment of not being able to go to weddings and to see family?

About the frustration of not having money to join a gym or replace things that are broken?

About constantly knowing I might have to pack up everything and move back home, away from my friends and family, away from my job and joys.  Leaving the city that I love, the trails I have trod, the memories I have made.  

I want to remember this for when we have money.  I want to remember this for when these dreams deferred come true.  

I will send cash anonymously to those who are secretly scraping by and are much to proud to ask.  

I will buy coffee and fruit snacks for them when they can’t afford it.

I will give presents to their children when they can’t afford any presents themselves.

I will give them gas for their cars so they can get to work.  

Because you have all done this for me. And because the Lord is my help and my salvation.  I will tell them not to fear.  Courage comes from God.  

For now 

I find ways to help others because that makes my pain not feel so strong. A double batch of chili to share, free babysitting when I can.  Counting the gifts like Ann Voskamp told me.  Loving even when it hurts.  Praying for forgiveness and battling any bitterness that tries to take root."